Weight-shifting logging sulky



Sept. 30, 1952 L. R. SIMMONS WEIGHT-SHIFTING LOGGING SULKY 2 sHEETssHEE'r 1 Filed March 29, 1949 I INVENTOR. loved E 62772220725 Sept. 30, 1952 R. SIMMONS WEIGHT-SHIFTING LOGGING SULKY 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed March 29, 1949 INVEMOR. 0veZ 2? 50721120125 BY WM Patented Sept. 30, 1952 fs'mres PATENT orifice WEIGHTL'SHIF'HNG LOGGING sonny LovelaReynolds Simmons, J acksonw-Miss ApplicationMarch29, 1949. serial No. 84,214

sulky comprises a frame supportedupon wheels.

at. opposite. of: its-.sides. and being: open' at its back 'sidezxfor:accommodating 'endwise. insertion. ofjthe'1e'1ongated. load. Sheaves are secured. in an:.upper: portion .oftitherframea inra; manner. that as: cable :or:. cables may: be payedi out :thereover for: attachment. to the: loadtand .:thereaiterzzwoun'd* in overzthezsheaves, usualiy'byimeansxofiazwincm upon the; tractor; for dragging 'the: load .forward-'= ly-through thezopen;rearzendiofzthezframe. After: the. loa'dizhaszbeen drawmerrdwise'ainto. theasulky trailerrponto :the:;bottom;.thereof, thet-bottom will. be elevatedit'o raisezthe lcadzandrsupportit while:

the .tractorrandxtrailerrare .drivenzto ardesire'd locationz.

Frequently, because of the.length:.ofithe.:loadbeing transportedton the sulky vehicleyzthe trailingeendzoitsuchs'load .williheallowed .to dragzupon thesground. This; of course; increasesnthe re sistance :to. ttractive effort, :exerted: by the tracxti'on.'whe'elsinfithe.ctractor. Muchzof'.the-hauling; performed byta. vehicle train: of: this type is ofi' the. highway where the ::course beingtraversedi will-= frequent-1y contain earth.v depressions and: hummockswhich further' contribute to the :resistance to tractive effort; These adverseconditions are; at. time augmented-by" wet, muddy or slipperyearth: To enable the tractor to possess sufficient tractive contact. withithe ground it--has beennecessary to :employ'weights upon:

the..tr action wheelsand/or to resort to a large tractor having. weight andhorsepower commensurate with; the! peak. requirements of trac.-- tivel effort. Thisis .not;a satisfactory wayoi. approaching the problem. however, since the moremassive. andcostly equipment. is only periodically used to the limit ofgit; capabilities.

. A generallobject of. the present. inventionis .the

provision of a logging .,sulky vehicle with load carrying. means capable of ..'shifting the weight of the. loadflupon such. vehicle for in 1p.osing,.cle.- sirediamounts of'the load uponv .the traction;

wheels ofithe tractor in accordance with. the

amount-of tractiveeffort needed. In, thi'sgway the app aratus can-utilize the weight of'theload;

a Claims-s1 (c1. em -$5. 31)

for supplementing, the weight of the tractor chassis during short periods requiring abnormat tractive effort. In this-waya lighter and less costly tractor can be employed. Also; it ispossible' to-- cause essentially the entireweight of the load to-b'e carried by the trailing vehicle during favorable tractive conditions which" predominantlyprevail, therebypreservingthetractor frameand tires by avoiding placing useless inordinate weight upon-them.

A more a specific object-0f this inventi'omis' the:

provision of a logging-sulky having an: overhead fore and aft track or: 'the li ke together with mounting means movable lengthwise-thereof: for.-

supporting sheaves over whichwable. means is trained. forattaching to and supporting: the load. A-noverhead supporting means of this character for"load-supporting sheave means makes it possilol'e' to *controh'theiposition of the sheaves and 'of theloadirom: a control. disposed accessibly to an operator upon the tractor. MOVE. meht of the dead-supporting sheave smea'nst forwardly of thesulky :whe'els .wi'lllicausez thetamount of weight-imposedi by the: load: upontthe tractor t'o 'be increased: while .m'ovementnf. the sheave.

m'eans rearwardly decreases; the magnitude f; Such p0sediwei'ght; l

-' A further object is. .theprovi'sion of a logging.

sulkywhereiir the "frame .is open: at the bottom as: well: as; atu'theifreart to facilitate 'dragging -the'.

load by a-me'anszdf theiload-supporting cable .forwardly .intothelframe or, .backingithe: sulky: into straddling .relatiomover'. the load. and. thereafter elevating the same L'by means-off the" cable into a transportt'fposition..

The inventionr' further contemplates and" has 3.8;0116i0fit3 objectsthe; provision of a plurality of;load-supportingrsheaves spaced lengthwise .ofthe fore and aft. extending traclcand'having're spective load-supporting. cables ,1 trained. thereoverjon attachmentto the load-at fore and aft positions. whereby these cables can be wound:- in? to rlift the-load completely 1 off= of the ground. This-diminishes the tractive effort. necessary for. advancingathe loaded vehicle train.

A' further -.object: is ;the .prov1s1on. of a logging:

sulky' having an unobstructed open bottomand. an unobstructedrear. end. together with. anoverhead tract. extendingaxiallyof such. sulky' both forwardly and .rearwardly. of. the. sulky wheels,

together with load supporting, sheave meansadljustable lengthwise. .or the. track between positionsxrespectiv'ely forwardly and rearwardly of: the wheels. 2

'Still'. another object is the provisi n of a logging sulky according to any ofifthe preceding objects and having a cable or line-guiding pulley in a forward portion thereof for guiding a flight of the load-supporting cable or line extending between such pulley and a line-guiding pulley on the back end of the tractor, and said lineguiding pulleys being so relatively disposed in elevation as to so place the center-line of such line flight that it substantially intersects a drawbar hitch point substantially beneath the traction wheel axis of. the tractor. I g r V Another object is the provision of an improved hitch structure between the logging sulky and the tractor, embodying a bale type drawba'r having its end portions pivotally connectedwith the tractor for movement about a transverse axis in parallelism with the traction wheel axisand slightly therebeneath while the intermediate portion of such drawbar is disposed "rearwardly' and pivotally supports thereon (about a fore and...

aft extending axis) a universal joint structurek having a bearing portion generated abouta substantially vertical axis and pivotallyconnected with a complemental bearing rigidly associated with the trailing vehicle.-

These and other objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention will be morefull-y understood from the ensuing description, the appended claims and the annexed drawings, wherein: 7 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor and logging sulky coupled thereto and embodying a preferred form of the invention. 7 v

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. h Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 33 of Fig. l. e

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line;44 of Fig. 1..

Fig.5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating the mounting of a'sheave shifting ram on the goose-neck tongue ofthe sulky. I

trating a' secondform of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a planfiview of the apparatusshown in Fig. 6, the tractor being shown fragmentarily,

the tractor and sulky being illustrated in relative positions occupied while executing aiturn, and the load-supporting sheaves .and lines being illustrated while suspended at a rear portion of the sulky track to expedite manipulation of thelines for attachment or detachmentof the loadj Fig. 8 is a view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6. With continued reference to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 the-tractor is designated H and the logging sulkycoupled thereto front ends l8 and H! 'pivotally connected: with the rear'end of the tractor body 2| for swinging about a transverse horizontal axis 22 slightly below and in parallelism with the traction wheel axis l6. v n

A winch 23 of conventional structure is mounted upon the rear part of the tractor body above a cable guide pulley 24 which is rotatable about a pin 25 having its opposite ends supported in the usual furcations of a sheave housing 26 pivotally' supported upon a'pintle 21 disposed vertically. and rigidly attached to the rear end of the tractor body by a bracket 28. Aloadfor wheels 4'5 and 46. upon stub and axles 41 which project outwardly 4 supporting cable 29 windable onto and payable out from the Winch 23 has a flight 3| extending downwardly to the pulley 24 about which the cable or line extends and merges into a. flight 32 extending upwardly and rearwardly to and about a load cable guiding pulley 33. A more rearward flight 34 of the cable extends to and over a loadsupporting sheave 35 from which the cable extends downwardly for connection with the load 36 which isherein illustrated in form of logs 31.

The logging sulky l3 comprises a frame wherein there are laterally spaced side members 4| and 42 bent into shape from plate metal stock. Trailing end portions 43 and 44 of these frame side members are turned outwardly to provide shields These wheels are mounted from the frame side members 4| and 42 and provide support for the rear portion of the frame. Converging front end portions 48 and 49 of the side frame members may be formed integrally or may Fig. 6 is a viewtaken similarly to Fig. .1 illusbe connected rigidly together at their front ends.- Atrack structure 5| is supported in elevated relationwith respect to the frame side members 4| and 42 by means of a forward set of side frame members 52 and 53 which extend oppositely from the track structure and downwardly'therefrom into respective connection with the members 4| and 42. A rear set of side frame members 54 and 55,'shaped to provide clearance for the load 36, support the rear part of the track 5| upon the frame sills 4| and42.

Shields 56 and 51 forv the wheels and 46 are mounted upon the outer faces of the frame sills. "A tongue or coupling-attaching structure58 rigidly associated withthe front end of the track structure projects downwardly and forwardly for attachment to the .drawbar l1 by means of a universal joint structure 59. The universal joint comprises a bearingstud 6| having-a sleeve portion 62 of a compound'bearing unit 63 journalled thereon. Another component of the unit 63 is .a bearingstem 64 rigidly associated with the sleeve 62 and "projecting radially therefrom in an upward'direction. L The bearing stem 64 is received by a cylindrical bearing 65 in the lower end of the tongue 58.

The traveling or load-supporting sheave 35 is journalled upon a pintle '66 extending between apertured cars 61 projecting from a carriage 68 'supported upon longitudinally extending track flanges 69 by means of carriage rollers 1|. This carriage 68 together with its rollers 1| constitutes means'for mounting the sheave 35 upon the track'flange means 69' and is adjusted lengthwise of the track by means of a cable 12 having upper and lower flights 13 and 14 extending lengthwise of the track. A mid-portion of the cable is trained about a pulley 15 journalled upon a pin 16 mounted on a rear-part of the track frame. A forward end of the cable flight 13 extends over the upper part of a large diameter spool 11 and-is attached thereto at 18. A forward end of the lower cable flight 14 extends about the-periphery of the spool 11 twice and is then anchored thereto at 19.

A'pinion 8| and-fthe spool 11 are both constrained for "rotation with a shaft 82 which is journalled inbearings 83' of brackets 84 and 85,

Fig. 4, mounted upon the upper part of the tongue 53'. Bracket 84 has a bearing surface SBagainst which a; rack 81having teeth meshed with the pinion 8| slides'j This rack 81 is formed by an end portion of the piston rod for a piston 88 in the .cylinder sea a hydraulic ,r'am 9|. The

z ne-mo ra'rm cylinden is mounted on:' the; upper: sidezrof the tongue l'm -'Opposite= ends': of therramaicyline der communicate through flexibleshosesifl and 93'- with ax valve: of any: conventional vstructure (not: shown )Zmountedaccessiblyet'oztheuoperator on the tractor; Suchwal've structurevis operable to selectively directffluid under pressure into either" of the- 'hoses 92 or 93 while: establishing communication through: the other of! such: hoses with a low: pressure. reservoir, so thea hydraulic ram cam-bet-caused to move the rack: :85! either endwisedirectiom a When the pistoni8-8 is: inxthe" lower end off'the cylinder the rack 1 and piniom 8:l'.8 l wil l h cause the spool 'l l -to occupy its most clockwiselposition. This 1 will have been ac'compli'she'd 'byrv introducing fluid: under pressure: into 1. the hose 93: while: exhausting-.fiuidzthroug'hz thezhosezsz a'n'diwill'. have operated the: cable 12' for: at leastt supplementing the force oi tension in. the cable-flightfi-j l -for moving the sheave-35 to: itsmost forw'ardipositiDhL- Reversing the flow of fluid -through lthe ramwill. cause upward movement: of the ram pis'ton for rotating the spool 11' counter-clock:- wise. Movementofuthe: ram piston to. itsup ward limit :in the cylinder 91 will .be effective througlr the'-- rack 81 the pinion 8 l ,r the a spool 11 and w the cable" 1 25 for adjusting: the-'sheave 3'5 rearwardly' to 2 the position designated 941 Any other: position; such :as thosewdesignated i95 -tand Bfiican be obtained by: 'causingwthep'iston 88": to come: to :rest at corresponding positions in. the ramcylinden:

Usually 1 theiload supporting sheave- 35 will. be adjust'edkintq: the position 94 to expedite manipulaticn ofi the lineJQIfor attachment ordetachment to an endiof the elongated load; The-winch 2 3'2wi1l: allow-the line tz -to be payed out o-verthe various sheaves to provide ample -length of the line t'ox depend from-- the" sheave 32i fou -passing about'eand attaching 'onto the lead. Subsequent to attaching the: line to the load; the line will be wound ontoa thewinch for lifting-the frontend 7 application. off all'. forces from; the trailenxonto the; tractor: is: at: said; axis :22. ThLBrlfDl'OEIL'EXEItEd throughlthezload' .supporting'zcable -'3.2;1does; not; therefore; disturbzxthe MalancerattainedQbr ply otall'y connecting the ihitchistructurev. I Z rto .the tractor at theiaxisiz 2; s i

The embodiment: showniniEigssdr and: 6 is gene.- erallyr. of; theutypes of: the: first: embodiment; and has-amanyparts which fare;identicalcwitlnorzrer spectively correspond to parts in the first embodie ment.;. Therefore," to :.expedite=;.this disclosure :the identical parts; of. thee-second]. embodiment? are identified-:Y-by thez'samezrespectiveireierence: char; acters as in the first embodiment whereas'zconresponding parts areldesi'gnated.bythe same referenceazcharacterb with. the: addition .of :anprime, and; there-=willfbezno repetition of; description; re;-

spectingrsuch'tparts; I I

The; frame of thecsulky: l:3 diners irom; the frame; in: the first embodiment? in the detail; of being isomewhat longer and in having a: longer track "structure- 5.!" of::whicha. rearwardtportion extends rearwardly beyond theaxis of. the; sullry wheels: Also the track-'51 has two load.ca-rryingsheaves a forward sheave, 35'F and a rear.-

ward: sheave 35 R. There are; two. load carrying cables orlines 32 "Fand '3i2'Rtrained respective lyover thewsheaves- 3.5F' and? 35'Rgflthe first of these cablesv being-,for attachment tothegfront endspontionmfz: a-.-,lo.adi-,36-a:nd the otherr'ofesaid cablesxbeingifon attachment/ to;=a. ;rear portionrof SHGhYlOHiduSO these twoscabless-oanvcoopenaterior liftingl the;- 1036.1; completely from; theground;

There-aretwo-pulleys-i33"respectively for the lines'3-2'F and 32-'R and likewise-tworpulleysymlr and two pulleys 24' respectively for these lines; Sincethe pulleys 33-, areaxially ali nedgassare the pulleys l fl ltandqzflg', only one/of the-pulleys imeachiof 2 theseapairss at pulleys: is: shown in; Rig;

6;; There are: also two.- independently; rotatable co-axia-l winch. drums-2.3- respectivelyiorthe of -thel'oad Thesheava will be allbwed jto I remain im thenposition 94 ior imposing=the weight oil'itheload onto the-sulky vvheels li an'df' 46' until a condition isencountered-making it' desirable to increase the contact pressure between the-tram tor wheels and the groundz Ihereupon the hydraulic ram 9| will .be energized for causing the sheave 3-5 to beadjusted forwardly a distance to rimpose the desired additional weightsontoithe tractor. Subsequent to the emergency-requiring the additionaltweighti upon--the-= tractor the hydraulic ram will be energized .-for reversing the movement of the cable 'lTfor shifting the sheave 35'backto the position-94;

While theloaded'vehicle" train is passing over irregular off the highwayterrain: the operator of the vehicles may desire to leave the sheavei35f in it's most forward-position along the track. EI excepting when it is becomes necessary; to cause the loaded" train' to turn sharplyfor avoiding an obstacle; When this'o'c'casion 'arises theop'erator can" cause" energization of" the .ram for shitting "22 about which the drawbar structure 12 is pivotally connected with the tractor, the effective lines-3;2;E'andi3:2.'R. V p

Carriages: 68:"F a-nd 685R, for the: loadesupportiing-isheaves 35!an'd;35*Rarecontrolled by separ rate I cables. 12' trameduabout: their: resp,ectivtel-yassociated; pulleys :15, andspoolsb1 and: each :of

these: vbelt, pulley and:- spool, assemblieszis; con-- trollediby ahydraulicsramudl.

Attachmentiiof; (the: lines; .352 Tiand 3-2. RttQia-an elongated. load 3,6: is: facilitated by/ energization of. therstwdqramsg '91: for: adj usting: thersheaves 352E" andzp3 51R? Ito *their:ireanwardi'mostzapositions ilhistratediin Fig; 7 t After-attaching thezlines'fito thez'loadgi such; load 'andzthefsulky"vehicleiwillcbe' manipulated; into; axial: alignmentrwhereupon the winchi-drumsezfi andcth'e hydraulic rams 91: wills hem-operated :for l placing the load: carrying sheaves; in some: such. position as a illustrated in E1811" 6; and -for: winding lin'i the :lines-'- for' 1ifting the load: from: t the grounds sufficient length of linen willri be permitted to i obtain: betweenthe sheaves 351E "and-l L3 51R and the loaddepending therefrom to1'enableethese sheaves: to be moved lengthwise of .=.the tract 5 t, attendant toicausing theslo adstocbe: somewhat 'elevated or lowered, d'e pendingsupom whether-thesesheaves are adj'us'ted rearwardly or forwardly, thus making it unnecessary to simultaneously operate the winches 23' for winding in or permitting payout of the lines. Shifting the load forwardly or rearwardly by forward or rearward adjustment of the load-carrying sheaves is accomplished for the purpose and under the circumstances explained herein above in connection with the first embodiment.

This second embodiment causes the component of force imposedupOnthe-tractor by theload supporting lines to be applied to the tractor at the drawbar attaching axis-22 as in the case of the first embodiment, but accomplishes this result by mounting the pulleys 24 co-raxially of the axis 22 and by utilizing the pulleys IBI in such a position upon the'trailingvehicle that the flights I02 of said linesextend in parallelism with the horizontal'plane of the U-shaped drawbar I1. I

Having'thus described a limited number of'embodiments of the invention with the view of completely andconcisely illustrating the same, I

claim:

1. In a logging sulky; a frame having an unobstructed open bottom and an unobstructed rear end, said frame comprising laterally spaced side portions and a fore and aft extending track spaced upwardly from the bottom of said frame;

at'ongue extending forwardly and downwardly from-the front end of the track; a plurality of load-carrying sheaves; means mounting said sheaves for independent movement upon and lengthwise of said track; stub axles respectively upon lower parts of the side frame portions and disposed between the ends of the track; means for adjusting one of the sheaves within a range lengthwise of the track and extending both forwardly andrearwardly of side axles; and means for adjusting the other sheave within a range lengthwise of the track and extending at least partially rearwardly of side axles; and ground engaging wheels respectively upon said axles.

In combination; tractor and trailer vehicles of which the trailer vehicle is of the sulky type having a frong end portion supportedupon the tractor vehicle as a stabilizer therefor;

a drawbar structure pivotally attached to the tractor for swinging movement about a horizontal axis disposed substantially below the traction wheel axles of the tractor, and said drawba'r extending rearwardly from such axis; the trailer comprising a fore and aft extending-track disposed in an elevated position thereon'andalso comprisinga tongue structure projecting down-3' Ward'ly from' a front end portion of the track; load-carrying sheave means; meansmounting said sheave means upon the track for movement lengthwise thereof for changing the magnitude of-Ta downward force component imposed by a load carried by the sheavestructure through'the tongue structure; and universal joint means for interconnecting the vehicles, said joint means comprising a bearing mounted upon a rearward portion of said drawbar and having a fore'and aft extendingaxis, a-multi-bearing element in--. cluding a, bearing element'pivotally associated with the bearing on the drawbar and including a vertical bearing element rigidly associated with the first bearing element and a bearing upon the lower end of said tongue structure in complemen tal journalled relation with the second bearing element; a sheave complemental with the loadcarrying sheave and mounted upon said forward end portion of the track, a tractor-mounted sheave; and a load supporting line trained about having a front end portion supported upon the tractor vehicleras a stabilizer therefor; a drawbarstructure pivotally attached to the tractor forl'swihging' movement about a horizontal axis disposed substantially below the; traction wheel axles of-the tractor, and said drawbar extending rearwardlyfrom such axis; the trailer comprising a fore and aftextending track disposed-in an elevated position thereon and also comprising a tongue structure projecting downwardly from a front endportion of the track; load-carrying sheave means -means mounting said sheave means uponthe track for movement lengthwise thereof for changing the magnitude of a down- Ward force component imposed by a load carried by the sheavestructure through the tongue struc-v ture; and universal joint means for interconnect-,. ing the vehicles, said joint means comprising a bearing mounted upon. arearward portion of said drawbar and having. a fore and aft extending.

axis, a multi-bearing element-including a bear.- ing element pivotally associated with the bearing on the drawbar and including a vertical bearing element rigidly associated with the first bearing elementand a bearing upon the lower end of said tongue structure in complemental" journalled relation with the second bearing element; a tractor-mounted sheave; sheave means mounted on the trailer rearwardly of the tractormounted sheave; and a load supporting line trained about the tractor-mounted sheaveand having a flight leading rearwardly over said sheavemeans to the load-carrying sheave, and saidtractor-mounted sheave being so disposed onthe tractor that said line flight is, directed substantially into intersecting relation with the drawbar axis.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of-this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS LOW/FL: REYNOLDS sitar/ions. I 

